From Israel to the SFCBL 

By Beka Haddad 

When most people think of sports that are associated with Israel, baseball is not often the first one that comes to mind.  

“It’s a super small country, there’s not a lot of baseball in it” said Tomer Erel. “If you were to ask someone what baseball is, they wouldn’t know.”  

However, others’ lack of knowledge of baseball did not prevent Erel and his friends Ido Peled, Shaked Baruch, Uri Shani, Nadav Machlin, and Ariad Schechter from pursuing the sport. Erel was introduced to the game through a friend from back home, who was American and whose dad used to play. Erel then introduced it to Peled, who attended the same middle school. 

“I just saw him playing that [baseball], and I was like ‘I’ll give it a shot,’” said Peled.  

“It’s a similar story for all of us. You see an American guy, you say, ‘what’s baseball,’ you understand it, and you go from there,” Baruch added.   

Through programs in their kibbutz’s, all of them were able to connect with each other and grow in their skill of the sport. Through hard work, they were able to excel to be able to play for Israel’s national team, where they’ve had successful careers.  

Additionally, once most kids in Israel turn 18, they usually stop playing sports and serve their country in the Israel Defense Forces or IDF. Since these young men are athletes, they have a special status that allows them to leave the country. The process was extremely difficult, as it has only been of recent that anyone has been able to leave Israel. Each of these young men are extremely thankful to have the opportunity to continue to play baseball in the United States.  

“Getting to play baseball in the US is a big part of the dream,” Peled said. “When we get to eighteen, it’s a do-or-die situation. We either decide to play baseball, or we decide to quit it and go serve our country in the IDF. I feel like it’s a big jump for every kid from Israel to be 18 and see ourselves playing in college, which is a big dream come true.” 

Through the SFCBL’s connections, enough money was raised to cover the playing costs to bring these young men over to the United Stated to play in the league this summer. Here is a little bit about them.  

Tomer Erel is playing for the Coconut Creek Diamond Ducks. His favorite thing so far about this summer is meeting so many new people from all over the United States, playing ball with them, and having fun. He has gotten into watching the Miami Marlins and seeing his favorite game played at such a high level. Erel’s favorite Major League Baseball player is Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees.  

Ido Peled also plays for the Coconut Creek Diamond Ducks. He is excited to be playing for a team again, as he took a break because he was sidelined with an injury last year and was receiving rehab at Tread Athletics in North Carolina. Peled’s favorite Major League Baseball team is the Baltimore Orioles, and his favorite player is Marcus Stroman. 

Shaked Baruch is another member of the Coconut Creek Diamond Ducks. Since childhood, he has enjoyed playing baseball with his friends. He is proud that he can represent his country on the world stage. Baruch’s favorite baseball memory is winning the European Championship with his teammates. His favorite Major League Baseball team is the Los Angeles Dodgers.  

Uri Shani plays for one of the newest teams in the SFCBL, the Boca Raton Beach Boys. His most special baseball moment was when he won the European Championship qualifiers with the Israeli national team in 2019. His favorite Major League Baseball team is the Los Angeles Dodgers.  

Nadav Machlin also plays for the Boca Raton Beach Boys. His favorite memory from his time playing baseball so far, was last year when the Israeli National Team won the European U19 Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. His favorite Major League Baseball team is the San Diego Padres.  

Aviad Schechter plays for another new member of the SFCBL, the Delray Beach Wave. He has been loving his time here so far and has hit it off with his teammates and coaches. Since arriving in the US, he has had fun learning a different, more aggressive style of the game, and is adapting to it. Schechter’s favorite Major League Baseball team is the New York Yankees, and his favorite player is Juan Soto.  

In their time with the SFCBL this summer, the guys have big goals. Through playing in this league, they can get some reps in and play against a higher level of competition. Though Baruch already plays for a college team and Peled has already committed to a college team, Erel, Shani, Machlin, and Schechter are using this summer as an opportunity to be scouted by college teams. Additionally, they are still a part of the Israeli National Team. They hope to see the benefits of their summer training when they return to play for Team Israel.  

Through their dedication to the game, and despite the distance from Israel to the SFCBL, these hard-working and inspiring athletes are ready to hit it out of the park this summer!